


The Snake and The Halla

by Willdoodleforcoffee



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Bedtime Stories, Domestic Fluff, Family Fluff, Fluff, M/M, so much fluff oh my god, the Lavellan here isnt the inquisitor btw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:41:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26379757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willdoodleforcoffee/pseuds/Willdoodleforcoffee
Summary: “Once upon a time, two men met in Skyhold. They fell in love and lived happily ever after, the end.”“That’s not the story! Tell it right!”“Excuse me? Where are your manners?”“Pleeaaasse? Please please please-”“-Alright, alright! No need to fuss. Ok. So once upon a time, two men met in Skyhold…”-Viorel Lavellan tells his daughter a bedtime story.
Relationships: Male Lavellan/Dorian Pavus
Kudos: 30





	The Snake and The Halla

“Once upon a time, two men met in Skyhold. They fell in love and lived happily ever after, the end.”

“That’s not the story! Tell it right!”

“Excuse me? Where are your manners?”

“Pleeaaasse? Please please please-”

“-Alright, alright! No need to fuss. Ok. So once upon a time, two men met in Skyhold…”

—  
_  
One was a Tevinter mage who had scorned his family in order to do the right thing. He was a beautiful man who gave up so much, and he was always so shocked whenever someone would try and give something up for him. Many viewed him as just another selfish preening noble, but in reality he rarely did anything for his own sake… Let’s call him The Snake._

_The other was...we’ll call him The Halla, he was the Inquisitor’s kin tasked with guiding their clan to the hold. He joined the Inquisition with the intent to fight for glory, and it meant more to him than anything else. But still, he didn’t believe he was good enough to do so._

—

“...Stop making that face, they both learned better.”

“I’m not making a face! This is just my face!”

—

_When The Halla arrived at Skyhold, one of the first things he did was ask “Where do I go to fight?” to the first person he saw. Luckily that was The Snake, who thought his boldness amusing. Especially so when The Halla scrunched up his nose and loudly declared “But I don’t like him,” when The Snake gestured to Skyhold’s Knight Com- er, to The Lion._

—

“That was rude.”

“Yes, it was rude. Don’t say things like that to people’s faces, alright?”

“Alright.”

—

_The two became surprisingly close friends after that. They both spent most of their hours in Skyhold’s library, and eventually found themselves studying together._

_Though...Ok, so it wasn’t like that right away. The library’s other patrons even teased The Halla among themselves for being so skittish, as he’d often grab his books and tuck himself away before anyone could see him. But The Snake was a patient man, building up to a full conversation through little gestures, like reaching a book too high up for him or a “How are you today?” And it wasn’t long before the two developed a near daily routine where they would share notes and drinks. Their conversations flowed together smoothly, but sometimes they would just read for hours in silence in each other’s company._

_You see, at some point they each had fallen in love with the other. But The Halla didn’t think he was good enough for him, and The Snake thought that he didn’t deserve him. So they did nothing._

—

“They sound stupid.”

“...Hush you, the story isn’t done.”

—

_The little gestures between them started growing bigger. The Halla comforted The Snake when his family plagued him, because he knew he more than deserved it. And The Snake helped The Halla talk to The Raven and become an official part of the Inquisition, because he knew he was more than good enough._

_It was The Snake that said something first, having learned that it was ok to be a little selfish sometimes. He brought The Halla to their favorite spot in the library, a little nook with a window, and asked to be his. The Halla was still learning that he didn’t have to be “good enough”, but he loved his snake more than anything else. So he agreed, but only if he could be his as well, and that was enough for them._

—

“The end.”

“But then what happened!?”

“Oh, just kissy stuff. You wouldn’t like it.”

“Baba! Mah tel din halam!! That is not an ending.” The little girl whines, sinking into her nest of pillows and stuffies with a pout. Her father smiles, heart melting at how easily she could switch from Tevene-tinged Common to his own mother tongue. Viorel leans down, tucking Bonnie in and kissing her forehead.

“You’re right, that isn’t the end.” He soothes, brushing away the dark fringe getting in his daughter’s eyes.

“The Snake and The Halla kept learning better, loving each other all the while. They moved to Tevinter, where The Snake was determined to fix his family’s mistakes and The Halla helped The Raven stretch her reach as far as he was able.” 

Viorel reaches across the bed before Bonnie could start fussing, retrieving her favorite plushie to tuck in with her. An overstuffed Bog-Unicorn, with her name embroidered on the sword. If there was anything she inherited from his husband, it was her love of the macabre.

“They even found themselves a daughter. A sweet little Bonnie-Rabbit who they love very much.” 

Bonnie giggles at that, though sleep was finally slowing her down. She yawns wide, clutching her toy close. 

“I love you and papa too.” 

Viorel doesn’t leave until he’s sure she’s asleep, snuffing the last candle at her bedside before stepping away. A figure met him by the door, smiling warmly and very clearly having been listening for a while.

“You could have come in, you know.”

“And interrupt that lovely tale? I’m not a monster.” Dorian laughs, though quietly enough so that the sound didn’t travel through the door. They reach for each other at the same time, Viorel’s head tucked under Dorian’s chin and Dorian’s arms wound pleasantly around Viorel’s waist, the two fitting together as if they were always meant to. 

“So, how does it end?” Dorian asks in a gentle whisper, tipping his head to press the words against a shock of silver hair. Viorel untangles himself from the embrace just enough to look at him.

“Hm..I don’t know yet,” Viorel hums, hands sliding to rest at Dorian’s jaw, pulling him down into a soft kiss before giving his snake a wry grin.

“Want to go find out?”

**Author's Note:**

> My half of a trade with [ Rusty-Metal-Lilacs's](https://rusty-metal-lilacs.tumblr.com/)!!!  
> Feat. his elf boyo, Viorel, and his fankid, Bonnie.
> 
> That one bit in Elvish is Bonnie saying "Daddy! That isn't the end!" and I used [ this translator](https://lingojam.com/ElvenDAI) to figure that out


End file.
